Playtex, york prod., amhil

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REVERSED 
Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2455 Ex Parte Sullivan et al 11598113 - (D) HORVATH 103 RYAN, MASON & LEWIS, LLP MURPHY, CHARLES C

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3692 Ex Parte Smyers et al 12112875 - (D) WORTH 103 Sony Corp of America - EVS LOFTUS, ANN E

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3744 Ex Parte Auchter et al 11791991 - (D) STAICOVICI 103 Muncy, Geissler, Olds & Lowe, P.C. DUONG, THO V

AFFIRMED-IN-PART
Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3632 Ex Parte Altshuler et al 11796501 - (D) DANIELS 103/112(2) 103 Kenneth Altshuler BRESLIN, DANIEL J

The Examiner has the better position here, determining that the word “essentially” modifies the entire phrase including the word “surrounds.” It is well settled that “words of approximation, such as ‘generally’ and ‘substantially,’ are descriptive terms ‘commonly used in patent claims to avoid a strict numerical boundary to the specified parameter.” Playtex Products, Inc. v. Procter & Gamble  Co., 400 F.3d 901, 907 (Fed. Cir. 2005) citations omitted.
...
“Substantially” is often used to mean largely but not wholly what is specified. See, e.g., York Products, Inc., v. Central Tractor Farm & Family Center, 99 F.3d 1568, 1572-73 (Fed. Cir. 1996); See also Amhil Enterprises Ltd. v. Wawa, Inc., 81 F.3d, 1554, 1562, (Fed. Cir. 1996).

York Products, Inc. v. Central Tractor Farm & Family Center, 99 F.3d 1568, 40 USPQ2d 1619 (Fed. Cir. 1996) 2181

AFFIRMED
Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1726 Ex Parte Inoue et al 11883808 - (D) McSHANE 103 KRATZ, QUINTOS & HANSON, LLP MOHADDES, LADAN

1775 Ex Parte Bynum et al 12362375 - (D) ABRAHAM 103 Agilent Technologies, Inc. in care of: CPA Global BOWERS, NATHAN ANDREW

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2117 Ex Parte Belady et al 11414852 - (D) COURTENAY 103 HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY GANDHI, DIPAKKUMAR B

2123 Ex Parte Schirmer et al 10335260 - (D) FINK 112/102/103 IBM Lotus & Rational SW c/o Schmeiser, Olsen & Watts LLP OSBORNE, LUKE R

Tech Center 2600 Communications
2621 Ex Parte Li et al 11833256 - (D) BUI 103 Novak Druce Connolly Bove + Quigg/SBP 54000 BUKOWSKI, KENNETH

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2828 Ex Parte KITAGAWA et al 12717750 - (D) PER CURIAM 103 FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GARRETT & DUNNER LLP HAGAN, SEAN P

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3641 Ex Parte Hubert 12589120 - (D) STAICOVICI 103 KAREN TANG-WAI SUTTON TILLMAN, JR, REGINALD S

DENIED
Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1783 Ex Parte Shiao et al 12059194 - (R) HASTINGS 102/103 PAUL AND PAUL VAN SELL, NATHAN L

REEXAMINATION

AFFIRMED-IN-PART
Tech Center 2600 Communications
2621 NINTENDO CO., LTD, Requester, v. MOTIVA, LLC., Patent Owner. Ex Parte 7292151 et al 11/187,373 95000540 - (D) COCKS 102 102/103 STANDLEY LAW GROUP LLP 37 C.F.R. § 41.77(f) THIRD-PARTY REQUESTER: NIXON & VANDERHYE, PC LEUNG, CHRISTINA Y